This invention relates to apparatus for compacting a number of low density annular objects into a single dense bundle for efficient storage and/or handling. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for compacting a series of sets of vehicle tires into a dense compressed bundle for easy storage and/or handling.
In recent years, the disposal of unusable tires of all types has become an growing problem. With increased emphasis on the environment and recycling of materials, especially materials which are not biodegradable, it is no longer possible to merely burn or bury the millions of tires discarded each year in the United States. The tire, by the nature of its size and shape, occupies a large volume of space, particularly in proportion to its weight; thus, it presents a very awkward article to handle and store, especially in large numbers. Additionally, storage of large numbers of loose tires presents a significant fire hazard, while disposal of vast numbers of loose tires has a significant environmental impact.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,680 and 5,152,214, I have disclosed apparatus for compacting twenty automobile tires into a compressed bundle occupying the volume of three or four uncompacted tires stacked atop each other. Typically, machines of this type extend fifteen to twenty feet from end to end to accommodate the large number of tires that must be processed simultaneously through the machine. Many smaller tire centers, individual garages, and the like that mount new tires and have to accept for disposal old tires, cannot spare the floor space or afford the cost of large production machines such as disclosed in my co-pending prior applications. In addition, the personnel of such facilities may not wish to cumulate a large number of tires before being able to compact them. Nonetheless these smaller facilities must handle a significant number of tires which require either a large storage area or frequent pick-ups by a disposal agency and thus constitutes substantial problems for the facility operator.